Since 2006 my wife and I have had the great pleasure of being a part of the real estate community. We represent buyers and sellers in the Greater Park City area as well as in Salt Lake City. This week we wanted to share the Top 6 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home - As a homeowner, there's only so much you can do when trying to sell your home. When it comes to real estate, hiring a professional agent is more of a need than an option. A real estate agent's greatest goal is to sell your house at a higher price in a lesser number of days.

While it's possible to sell a home without representation, it's important to remember that real estate is also a legal matter. In fact, there has been a massive increase in scammers targeting real estate clients because they're fully aware that some people don't seek agent representation. If you decide to sell your house, understand that it's a heavy process with many stakes involved. Here are some reasons why hiring a real estate agent is crucial:

Years of Experience - Nothing can beat experience. As a homeowner, you might believe in relying on the internet, family or friends; however, the experience of a professional real estate agent is what will truly help you secure a worthy investment. With years of experience in cracking the real estate code, agents know the times of the year when house prices go up and when potential buyers are most active. Hiring an agent will save you the stress of learning everything about buying and selling a house.

Negotiation Skills - Experience also endows real estate agents with impressive negotiation skills. Dealing with buyers, brokers and legal representatives on a daily basis, real estate professionals know exactly what each stakeholder wants. Agents have the skills to negotiate prices well and secure a worthy investment. You'll never be disappointed after hiring a competent agent because they'll provide the best representation for your property.

Access to a Critical Database - Real estate agents have deep connections and access to crucial real estate databases. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is an interface of all the current homes for sale. When you hire an agent, all the information required to sell your house will be available over the MLS for other agents. Your agent can effectively advertise your property by featuring an attractive package. With instant visibility, there are far more chances of selling your house quicker than when you may have tried it on your own. With greater access to buyers, you can sell your house fast instead of waiting and lowering the price. Hiring an agent may seem costly at first, but it can give you the upper hand in steering the price of your house.

Network of Professionals - Agents can never give their best service in isolation. With experience and education, they will always have a pool of professionals that they stay in touch with for speedy selling, buying and referrals. Agents work with many other people who can directly impact the price of your property.

Knowledge of Market Conditions - Real estate professionals have to stay updated with the rising house prices, and the best times to invest in the real estate market. They have insights into the market conditions that'll eventually dictate the price at which you sell your house. There are many calculations involved when it comes to learning the real estate climate. Data like the average-per-square foot cost, average house sale prices, list-to-sold prices and how long a house stays on the market are all things that ultimately decide how fast your house sells. Learning about this can be a hefty task, especially when you have to take care of the investment and insurance. Instead of taking all the stress yourself, hire an agent to guide you accordingly. You'll save both time and money.

Confidentiality and Security - As mentioned, with scammers on the rise, it only makes sense to hire a professional who will keep all your information confidential until the deal closes. With your identity papers, bank statements and mortgages at stake, hiring an agent is critical. Sometimes, even the smoothest transactions can have issues like tax assessments and missing stamps. Missing even a single step of selling your house can come back to haunt you. Enjoy the peace of mind that follows placing your property in safe hands.

Buying and selling a house is no joke—it's a lifetime investment. While these are only a handful of reasons eliciting the importance of a real estate agent, hiring one will save you from the trouble of paperwork, taxing complications, and, most of all, fraudulent schemes.

With the beautiful weather in Park City, it is time to be outside and if you’re lucky enough to have outdoor space (even if it’s just a sliver of grass) you’ll want to make the most of it. But knowing where to start can be tricky. Here are 7 Design Ideas to Make the Most of Your Backyard:

Swinging Seat - If you have the space, consider creating a variety of seating options — the neutral color palette ties together each of these. Warning: Hanging a hammock or swinging chair means that guests will be rushing over to your place whenever they get the chance. Kids and adults alike will love kicking back with a good book and a refreshing glass of lemonade all summer long. And when in doubt: add string lights.

Family Friendly Features - This backyard allows for plenty of space to play. But despite all of the kid-friendly equipment, it still manages to look stylish. Hang a macramé piece under a covered area for a boho touch, and set out some mod chairs to keep the look current.

Comfy and Cool - How stunning is this covered patio space? The homeowners with the backyard featured in the previous photo also did an excellent job styling this seating area. We love the addition of string bulb lights (again, a backyard essential) and the fun and funky egg chair. Pillows and a throw blanket add texture and necessary warmth for chillier nights.

Festive Fire Pit - Gather round! Group your chairs around a fire pit and set out poufs for extra seating if the weather permits. You’ll have the ideal space to spend many a summer evening talking and laughing with friends and neighbors—and indulging in a s’more or two.

Poolside Perch - Lucky enough to have a pool? Add a comfy outdoor couch and chairs, and you’ll never want to leave the yard. Adults can supervise little ones while kicking back and relaxing in the shade.

Patterned Patio - Having guests over? Jazz up patio furniture with the addition of colorful throws and patterned pillows to bring a well-traveled look to your backyard space. Pattern-mixing newbie? Stick to one color palette (here: pinks, blues, browns, and whites), to tie everything together.

Kids Only - Create a special oasis for the kids by setting up an outdoor dining space that’s just their size. Giant buckets make for great toy storage (which means easy access while the adults are still eating).